Catalyst
by Angel-from-the-Ashes
Summary: Daiyu Beifong led a simple life. She trained hard, worked harder, and loved few. Change was not something she had experienced in a long time, nor was it something she wanted. Her life was fine the way it was. Daiyu should have know better. Change was inevitable, and being friends with the Avatar did not help. High T for mature language and sexual themes. Pairing is undecided
1. divine intervention

_" . . . but, look, all I know is Avatar Aang meant for this city to be the centre of peace and balance in the world, and I believe we can make his dream a reality. I look forward to serving you! Thank you, Republic City!"_

"Hmm, the Avatar seems awfully eager," Daiyu muttered, sliding two trays of green tea cookies into the large bakery oven as she listened to the Avatar's speech on the radio. "You'd think she'd want to finish her training before dedicating herself to the city."

Her coworker heard her. "But isn't that her job though? I mean, she's the _Avatar_." Said Khan, his hands buried in the giant ball of dough he was kneading at the workbench behind her.

"She just said she doesn't have a plan," Daiyu reasoned, wiping her hands off on her apron. "It's all well and good to have good intentions, but sorry if I don't want to put my complete faith into someone who thinks they can fix problems because they're "destined" to do so, but doesn't actually know where to start."

"But, with everything that's going on with the gangs and the rise of these Equalist folks I've been hearing about, maybe it's, I dunno, fate or something?" Khan tried to explain, hope evident in his dark brown eyes. "Maybe she came at just the right time, maybe she's here because we need her."

"Yeah, maybe." Daiyu dismissed, though many questions were running through the back of her mind. Were people really losing faith in the city's police? So much so that they thought they needed the Avatar? Was it just the presence of such a mystical figure that was getting people excited? Either way, it was an issue for a later time.

Brushing away some of the dark hair that had fallen out of her bun and into her face, the young woman checked the clock. "It's almost noon."

"It is?" Khan whipped his head around to the wall clock, his brown curls bouncing around with the quick movement. "Your shift is over in five minutes, where the hell is Taya?"

"Knowing her, she's probably out somewhere with her new girlfriend."

"Oh, uh, Chen?"

"Nope, that was the last one." Daiyu tapped her chin in thought. "I think her name is Kim-something or other."

"Another girl already? Geez, Taya goes through partners faster than I can go through a tray of moon cakes, and that's saying something!" Khan laughed, rubbing his large belly proudly. "You'd think a person would want to put all the effort Taya puts into several people into one relationship."

Daiyu grinned and batted her eyelashes. "But where's the fun in that?"

Khan shrugged. "I'm just saying . . ."

Daiyu stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh _yeah_ , keep talking, Mr _Happily Married_."

Untying her apron, the teen began packing away her workstation. She could feel her weariness settling into her muscles. She had been at the bakery since six that morning, baking bread and creating the sweets to be sold that day and the next. She couldn't be more thankful that she had the day off tomorrow.

However . . .

"Are you gonna be ok here? What if Taya doesn't come in?" Daiyu asked, her bag hanging from her shoulder and a box of leftover treats between her arms.

"Don't even worry about it, it's not like she'd do much if she was here."

"Good point."

"Hey! How about a bet." The older man had let go of the dough to rub his flour-covered hands together with excitement. "I bet you two hundred yuans that Yoma fires Taya in a week's time."

The teen pouted. "Only two hundred?"

"Not everyone is made of money like you are." Khan groaned.

"I'm not made of money, my family is, we've been over this," Daiyu said and thought over her half of the bet. "You know what? I say she gets fired in the next three days."

"No!"

"Yes! And how about this, we'll keep it two hundred yuan, but if I win you throw in a plate of rice balls, and if you win I'll make you a tray of spice cakes."

"Deal!"

Daiyu smiled and ran out the back door. She called back to Khan on her way out. "Don't let those green tea cookies burn!"

"Like I would ever commit such a heinous crime!"

* * *

 _who cares, divine intervention_  
 _(I wanna be praised from a new perspective)_

* * *

Daiyu sat at her vanity, drying her long black hair, donning her favourite lilac nightgown. It was the best thing to wear on warm nights like the one Republic City was currently experiencing.

The sun had almost set, dark blue and indigos eating away at the remaining oranges and pinks. The fading light deepened the shadows around her and mixed with the warm light of the two lamps she kept inside her bedroom. The view from her window made it all the more wondrous.

Daiyu and her mother lived in a two-story home right by Yue Bay but was also close to both her and her mother's workplace. There was nothing blocking her view of the horizon, and she loved being able to see the great Avatar Aang memorial statue as it watched over the city, as well as serene Air Temple Island in the middle of the bay.

She went to sit by her window with her journal to record the events of that day, and every now and then she caught a glimpse of herself in the vanity mirror. Particularly her arm and the edge of her sleepwear. Her nightgown was thin, loose, reached right down to her ankles, and accentuated her willowy figure. She had always been a lanky kid, but she experienced her biggest growth spurt yet the year before when she turned fifteen.

At sixteen years of age, she was six feet tall, and she hoped she would not grow any taller than that. Not that being tall was a bad thing, she actually liked it. She liked how most people had to look up to her when they spoke, and being tall meant it was easier to intimidate people if the situation called for it. She just had a lot of back tattoos that had slightly stretched during her last spurt, and she prayed to the spirits they would not be ruined if she were to get any taller.

Despite her eye-catching height, there was so much more to Daiyu's appearance. Tall and slim, she held herself like a dancer, graceful and precise. Pin straight black hair fell down to her hips and shone like black jade, the stone she was named after. Her skin was pale and smooth, the perfect canvas for coloured tattoos, and her eyes . . . her eyes were round, and a grey-blue colour that really popped when she added eyeliner.

 _"She's beautiful,"_ she had heard people say.

 _"She looks nothing like her mother,"_ was something she heard even more.

Daiyu hated hearing that.

The rattling of the front door interrupted her thoughts. Dropping her journal, Daiyu jumped off the seat, raced out of her room and down the stairs.

"Ma! You're home early." The teen greeted as her mother hung her coat up by the front door.

"I honestly didn't think I would be after this morning's meeting." Her mother replied as they walked into the kitchen and Daiyu darted over to prepare some tea for her.

"How did today happen anyway? I thought you said the Avatar was headed back to the South Pole?" Daiyu said as she retrieved the tea leaves from the pantry. "How did you end up being head of security on top of standing by her side at her welcoming ceremony?

"Well you know Tenzin, that spineless nomad," Lin muttered darkly. "She must've given him a couple of sad looks and he melted, what else could've happened?"

"Well, not much else you can do if she's here to stay." The teen shrugged. "I listened to her speech on the radio. As nice as she sounds, I'm not convinced she's ready for the responsibility she's put herself up for. I mean, you said she was arrested yesterday for _destroying property_."

"I glad at least someone has some sense." The Chief of Police sighed. It had been a stressful day. As soon as Lin walked into the station she had been bombarded with plans of a ceremony to be held at the city hall to celebrate the Avatar's arrival as well as present her to the public. Lin had not been impressed, but she did her duty.

The event drew such a large crowd, with folks from all over the city showing up to catch a glimpse of the new Avatar. After the ceremony, she returned to the station to find only three accounts of theft that had taken place during the ceremony, which was far less than she expected. The rest of the day went smoothly, and Lin allowed herself to return home, saving any paperwork she had for the next day.

"You've raised me well." Daiyu complimented and slid a steaming mug of tea across the kitchen island to her Ma. "But, maybe I can straighten her out."

Lin raised a brow at her daughter as she drank.

The teen continued. "She's new to the city, she might want to make some friends. I could tell her the ins and outs, you know? Show her the ropes to help keep her out of trouble."

Lin scoffed. "And you want to go out of your way to do this? Out of the kindness of your heart?"

Daiyu's face scrunched up, an indignant look flashing in her eyes. "I can be friendly and welcoming! . . . When I want to be."

Lin rolled her green eyes. "Sure."

"Ma!—"

"—Don't whine—"

"—I'm not whining. I know being a Beifong means I can be abrasive as fuck—"

"—Don't _swear_ —"

"—But I guess I just want to meet her," Daiyu admitted. "Everyone's really excited she's here, and I want to see what she's like for myself before judging her too harshly, you know?"

Her Ma eyed her suspiciously. "There's more to this."

"Of course there is." The teen confirmed. "I want to visit Air Temple Island."

There was a long pause, and Lin put down her mug. The sound of porcelain hitting granite was unusually loud due to the prolonged silence.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Lin looked to her daughter. "When was the last time you went?"

"Ah, it's almost been two and a half months."

"Two and a half months?" Not many things surprised Lin Beifong, but that sure did. "That long?"

"Yeah, I guess I've just been throwing myself into work, and my classes, and training," The teen listed and dampened her own mood as she went on. "Time flies when you're busy, but since I have a day off tomorrow I thought it was about time I paid a visit. I . . . I really miss the kids."

Lin walked around the bench and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. A comforting gesture. "When you get there tomorrow, tell the Avatar if she wants to stay out of trouble to stay on the island. The less she's in the city, the _better_."

"Well that's just no fun then, but ok," Daiyu said and bent down to press a kiss to the crown of her mother's head, quickly moving away before she could be pushed off and called a sap. "'Night Ma!" She called before she flitted out of the kitchen.

Lin's eyes trailed after her once again exuberant daughter. "'Night Girlie."

Daiyu returned to her room and threw herself onto her bed, determined to get some sleep so she could rise early.

 _'See you soon Korra.'_ Was one of the last thoughts that drifted through the girl's mind before her eyelids shut.

 _'Tomorrow is going to be interesting.'_

* * *

 **Song: New Perspective | Panic! At The Disco**


	2. not passive but aggressive

Daiyu breathed in the salty sea air as the ferry cruised through the bay towards Air Temple Island. She held a white box of bread and other treats securely, careful not to drop it as she leant against the deck's railing.

The weather was agreeable, so she left her favourite coat at home in favour of just wearing her usual sleeveless crop top; beige in colour, with green piping along the cheongsam collar, and a gentle panda lily was embroidered on the front right of the shirt. She completed the look with a pair of high waist cargo pants and sturdy leather boots. Her pants had several pockets which held tools and supplies ranging from bandages to throwing knives. Daiyu prided herself on making her outfits both stylish (the kind of stylish that at times was a little risqué for Republic City) and functional.

The wind blew a few strands of hair out of her slick high ponytail as the ferry docked at the island. She raced over to be the first off and was met by a familiar face.

"Hello Miss Beifong," Han, an older air acolyte, greeted. "Here to visit the children?"

Daiyu rolled her eyes. Han always asked her this question with a tone of hope whenever he was on welcoming duty. As if he wanted her to say more. As if he expected more from her. Just like every other acolyte on the island.

It might be petty because she did it partly out of spite, but Daiyu wanted to make sure their expectations of her, whatever they were, were never met. She knew she did not need to meet them. They did not deserve more from her.

The teen ignored the feeling to speak her mind and pressed on. She shook her head in reply to the older man's question. "Yes, but not entirely."

Han's eyes brightened.

"My mother said the Avatar's on the island." Daiyu looked at the island over Han's shoulder, avoiding his eyes. "I wanted to meet her, but I assume she might be busy?"

Han's hopeful attitude deflated. "Err, yes. Avatar Korra is engaged in her first air bending lesson with Master Tenzin, and the children are with them as well."

"They'll be at the air gates then? Here," Daiyu shoved the bakery box into the acolyte's torso, nearly laughing as he immediately threw his arms out to catch the box. "Makes sure this gets to Pema? It's for the kids." And she began to walk away.

Han looked at the teen and box before calling out. "But!—"

"Thanks, Han!" Daiyu waved back, before taking off at a faster pace, no longer in the mood to deal with any more acolytes.

She navigated the island with ease, stiffly bowing to every acolyte that greeted her before she found herself at the steps that lead to the air gates.

But no one was there.

That was not too odd. Perhaps Tenzin had taken the Avatar and the children to the meditation pavilion or had taken a break. Either way, if this was the Avatar's first lesson in air bending, then it would not be long before they returned.

Seating herself at the top step, Daiyu relaxed. Air Temple Island may not have been her favourite place in the world, but it was a great getaway from the smog and congestion of the city. Despite that, she had always preferred the city, where a million things were happening all at once but it still ran day-to-day like a well-oiled machine. The island had many wonderful qualities, but the place as a whole was too tranquil. Too still.

One of the island's best and least tranquil qualities ran up behind her and interrupted her thoughts.

Turning quickly, Daiyu caught the blur of orange and yellow that zoomed towards her. A warm feeling erupted in her chest as she felt a pair of little arms wrap tightly around her shoulders and a face bury into her neck.

"Dee-Dee-Dee!" The little boy chanted before pulling back to face the teen, an angry pout on his face. "Dee! Where've you been? You've been gone for _ages_."

"I wouldn't say I've been gone for ages, but it has been a while huh?" Daiyu sighed and knocked her forehead lightly against his. "I'm sorry Meelo."

Meelo, her little tornado, nodded his head furiously. "You better be! But I forgive you."

"Stop hogging Dee!" Another voice exclaimed. Ikki raced over to them, squirming her way into Daiyu's arms to be apart of the embrace with Jinora close behind.

"Whoa! There's plenty of me to go around." Daiyu laughed, freeing an arm to wrap it around Ikki. "How are you Ikki?"

"I'm good!"

"And the bison?"

"They're good too! Accept Ylang-ylang, she accidentally bit on a thorny bush and now her tongue is sore."

"Poor Ylang-ylang."

"Wow Dee, you've got new tattoos," Jinora said excitedly, pointing at the teen's arms. Ikki and Meelo 'ooh'ed as Daiyu presented her upper arms to them. Since she had finished her back, she decided the next place to cover in tattoos would be her arms. On her right shoulder was a full moon in a thin, black line work style and on her left shoulder was the sun tattooed in the same way. The new tattoos were located underneath, and they contrasted greatly by being in solid colour.

Underneath the sun was a red dragon that coiled around her bicep and took up the rest of her upper arm. Its head laid directly under the sun tattoo, bright yellow eyes glaring menacingly outward. Beneath the moon were two black and white koi fish that represented Tui and La, circling each other around her arm as they did in the oasis in which they dwelled.

"Cool tats." A voice called.

Daiyu took her attention away from the kids to look up, and grey eyes met cerulean blue.

* * *

 _I'm not passive but aggressive_ _  
_ _Take note, it's not impressive_

* * *

With a frustrated sigh, Korra followed Tenzin and the children back to the air bending contraption. After she failed the first session, Tenzin let her take a break and suggested they go to try once more before they ended training for the day. She feared her training would become a cycle of try, fail, repeat for the next few days, if not forever.

The atmosphere around her and Tenzin was tense, it was obvious they were not on the same page when it came to training. The kids were oblivious to the tense atmosphere as they skipped along ahead of them. But they all stopped when Meelo stilled, eyes becoming wide.

"DEE!" Meelo yelled excitedly and rushed towards the air gates at full speed. The girls let out their own gasps and squeals as they formed air scooters and zoomed away, eager to get to catch up their brother.

"Dee?" Korra asked aloud and turned to her teacher, who had become slightly nervous for some reason.

"She's . . . a friend of the family." This was all Tenzin said before heading down to where his children were. Korra stayed behind for a moment. She had never seen Tenzin act that way.

She caught up to him and found the children crowded around a young woman seated on the steps opposite the air gates. They were all poking at her arms, which depicted some very interesting tattoos.

Korra caught a close look at the coloured tattoos, which were both some of the most detailed markings she had ever seen.

"Cool tats."

The girl looked up, her familiar grey eyes seemed to analyse her before a half-smile graced her pretty face. "Thanks, they just healed last week."

The girl stood and approached, with Ikki and Jinora grabbing onto her hands and Meelo attaching himself to her leg. She was around Korra's age and was quite tall, closer to Tenzin's height than hers. Her limbs reminded her of the branches of the willow trees she once read about, thin and graceful. Her grey eyes were round and intelligent, lined with heavy kohl. She had an air of experience about her, like she was one of those mysterious older teens you would either want to be friends with or avoid them because they had a crazy reputation.

"The guy who did them used a new set of needles developed for blending colour and shading." The tall girl explained, smiling down at the children who insisted on hanging off her. "I couldn't decide what to get, a dragon or the koi, so I got both. Which do you prefer?"

The children shouted their answers, and Korra used this time to stall hers. The Avatar felt that, though simple and opinion based, this was not a question she wanted to answer incorrectly.

Korra pointed to the girl's right arm. "As awesome as dragons are, I like the koi better."

"Because you have a stronger connection to them, makes sense." The teen grinned. "It's nice to finally meet you, Avatar Korra, my name's Daiyu."

"And we're the only ones allowed to call her Dee," Meelo announced proudly and received a head rub from Daiyu.

Korra bowed. "It's nice to meet you too."

Tenzin, who had not spoken the entire time, cleared his throat. "Erm, yes. It has been too long since we've seen you, Daiyu."

Korra finally took notice that Daiyu's presence was making Tenzin uncomfortable, but the other teen either did not notice or did not care. That raised a few red flags.

Daiyu's smile softened. "I know, I wanted to swing by and spend some time with these three darlings, plus my mother told me the Avatar would be staying here—I thought I'd come say hello."

Korra tilted her head in confusion. "Your mother?"

"Yes, you've met her actually," Daiyu added, and suddenly the Avatar felt like she was on trial. "She interrogated you after you destroyed all that property on your first day here."

Korra's body straightened up in surprise. "You're Chief Beifong's _daughter_?"

Daiyu relished her reaction, her half-smile turning into a full-blown smirk. "You know, you were only in the city for a couple of hours and you managed to get on the Chief's bad side just like that! That has to be a new record of some kind."

The Avatar huffed, her opinion of the Police Chief's daughter doing a complete 180o. "Yeah, well—! Your mother's a piece of work."

Tenzin snapped at her. "Korra!"

" _Wow_ , I've never heard _that_ one before," Daiyu said sarcastically with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

Tenzin cleared his throat, looking between the two girls who now glared at each other. "Now now, I believe we should return to the matter at hand."

"Korra's trying to learn how to move like an Airbender." Jinora supplied.

Ikki kept tugging at the older teen's hands. "But she keeps getting tossed around by the air gates."

Meelo started wiggling. "She hasn't learned to be the leaf!"

"Well, of course, she hasn't; it's only her first lesson, right?" Daiyu asked and the kids nodded. "It took Jinora a while to learn too, but she did. Of course, she has a natural finesse that Avatar Korra seems to lack, but all it takes is time. Before you know it, it's easy as pie."

Said Avatar's jaw clenched. What was with that dismissive tone Daiyu used when she was referring to her? Why was this girl trying to get a rise out of her? Korra should have expected it, this was Beifong's daughter, and as they say—the apple did not fall too far from the tree. "Easy as pie? Maybe you should show me how it's done then if it's so easy."

"I said it becomes easier over time, but if you need a demonstration to better grasp what you need to put into practice, I'd be happy to supply one." Daiyu looked smug as she stepped away from the children but tugged Jinora along with her towards the gates. "'Nora, if you wouldn't mind."

Jinora settled into a low stance before sending a gush of wind towards the gates, causing them to spin at a high speed.

Korra watched as Daiyu took a stance of her own. One leg stretched out, her foot formed a point and with an arm raised above her head, Daiyu spoke again without turning to face her.

"Watch and learn, Avatar." And with that, she twirled into the spinning gates.

Korra watched on in shock as the teen made her through as if it was nothing. She only managed to catch glimpses of Daiyu, but each time it looked as if she was dancing. Her movements effortless and as free as the wind. In no time at all Daiyu made her way out and rounded the gates to the cheers of children.

"Come, kids, I think it would be best if we left your father and Avatar Korra alone to focus on her training." Daiyu stared her down, and Korra wished she could punch that smirk off her face. "It looks like she still has a lot to learn."

The kids ran over to the tall teen and Tenzin opened his mouth, about to protest, but in the end said nothing. As the four walked away, Daiyu called back.

"I'll see you later Avatar Korra," There was laughter in her voice. "I'm not done with you yet."

When they were barely in sight, Korra whipped around to face Tenzin. "What the heck is her problem?"

Tenzin did not reply, but his eyes held a faraway look as he stared after his children and the family friend they were so enamoured with.

* * *

 **Song: The Kids Aren't Alright | Fall Out Boy**


	3. say they sympathize

"Can you come back tomorrow? Pleeeeeeeease?" Ikki begged as she and her siblings walked Daiyu out to the main courtyard.

The older girl kneeled down, patting the girl's head in apology. "I wish I could Ikki, but I have work and a bunch of other plans tomorrow."

Meelo groaned in defeat and slumped against her back while Jinora's shoulders dropped. Daiyu hated disappointing them, especially after they had such a lovely afternoon.

After the teen had left with the children, they led her to their usual meditation pavilion where they showed her the new airbending moves and forms they had learned in the two months she had not visited. Daiyu had clapped and spouted words of approval and encouragement over and over—she could not help it. She had always been amazed by their abilities, and their bending skills expanded by leaps and bounds with every visit.

After the demonstration, Daiyu decided to take them inside for lunch. She had wanted to see Pema as well, but according to an acolyte passing the airbending family's private home, the pregnant woman had been feeling under the weather so she went to take a nap. That was fine, there was always next time.

After lunch, which consisted of the leftover baked goods Daiyu had brought, she brought them into their family room for origami. Daiyu loved the art of paper folding, a love that the little airbenders shared with her, although Meelo was still warming up to it.

She had learned with her mother. As a child, Lin would manipulate earth and metal into all sorts of things for her daughter. She made wire flowers for her to collect, and rocks became animal figurines for her to play with. Being a nonbender, Daiyu had once been upset she could not perform such feats like her mother, but Lin prepared for that.

When she turned eight her mother had brought her several books and scrolls containing information on how to create and do, well, everything. How to make your own clothes. How to paint and sculpt. How to dance. How to cook. The majority of the material was geared towards the arts since Lin herself was teaching her girl how to fight, how to survive, just as her own mother had taught her. Daiyu had pulled out the book on origami and they had spent rest of her birthday learning how to create paper badgermoles.

And that was what Jinora had spent her afternoon trying to perfect. Ikki wanted to learn something more exciting, so Daiyu showed her how to make a paper bullfrog that could hop if you pushed down on its bottom. Meelo was not as patient as his sisters and preferred to tear and draw on the paper rather than fold it. The teen did not mind, her little tornado seemed to have an incredibly creative mind and a small grasp on how to use contrasting colours effectively. What others might have considered a mess on the floor was Meelo creating a self-portrait out of torn paper and graphite.

Before they knew it was time for Daiyu to head off, but the children were reluctant to let her go.

"Tell you what, guys," Daiyu decided. "I'm busy tomorrow but I'll clear my weekend for you so I can come back. How does that sound?"

Jinora jumped with excitement while Meelo and Ikki created air scooters to whiz around the teen to celebrate.

Daiyu smiled and stood back up. "I have to go now, ok? I still have to go see the Avatar before the last ferry arrives."

Jinora frowned and looked up at the older girl. "Dee, do you not like Korra?"

Ikki nodded in agreement. "Yeah! You were kinda mean to her—not really mean-mean but the kinda mean that adults use when they try and pretend they're not being mean to someone even though they know they're being mean."

"Ooh! Are you and Korra gonna fight?" Meelo began to jump all over the place. "She's the Avatar and she can bend three elements, does that mean you'll use all your weapons? Like your sword, and your—Oh! Those sticky things that are as long as your arms, or maybe your whip, or the knives you always keep in your pockets!? Or—"

"Guys, guys! No Meelo, I'm not going to fight Korra, and stay out of my pockets." Daiyu pressed her hands against said pockets. "Not that I couldn't take her, I probably could, but that's not the point. Yes, Ikki, I may have come off a little harsh but it wasn't without reason. No 'Nora, it's not that I don't like Korra, it's just that I don't know her very well yet, and what she said the other day at city hall has me a little concerned."

Jinora nodded, a thoughtful pout on her face. "And that's what you're going to talk to her about?"

"More or less. Say hello to your mom for me, yeah? I'll see you soon." Daiyu waved goodbye as they little ones formed air scooters and zoomed away.

* * *

 _I can always find someone_  
 _To say they sympathize_

* * *

It did not take long for Daiyu to find the Avatar, who was doing an array of swift kicks and powerful punches, all the while muttering 'airbend!' She heeded no results; the newspaper she was aiming at made no movement on the line it was folded over, it was borderline pathetic.

She had determination though, Daiyu could give her that. She could even admire it.

When she first encountered the Avatar after she had complimented her tattoos, her first thought was how innocent. It was her eyes, they really gave her away. They were bright and open; a great curiosity was evident in her cerulean irises. Daiyu could remember her mother speaking of how the Avatar was raised in a private compound, protected by the White Lotus. She must have been quite sheltered, but Daiyu knew the naiveté that radiated off Korra would not last long.

Republic City was going to eat her alive.

Daiyu approached the water tribe teen. "You know, airbending is known for being almost purely defensive," Daiyu spoke up, breaking the other teen's concentration, and caused her to drop her arm mid punch. "You won't achieve anything using offensive techniques."

"And you would know," Korra huffed, but turned to face her with a surprising amount of vulnerability. "How do you know?"

Daiyu drew closer to the Avatar but did not meet her eyes. "I used to spend a lot of time here when I was a kid, to visit, and to train."

Korra made a confused noise. "Why? You're not an Airbender."

It was an innocent question, Daiyu knew that, but it did not stop the dark emotions that began to swirl around in her chest.

 _You're not an Airbender_.

She shook it off.

"Our families were close, Avatar Aang and Grandma Toph being best friends and all," This was not the real reason, but it was not a lie either. "Even being a nonbender, Master Tenzin taught me a lot."

"Like how to get through the air gates?" Korra obviously wanted tips. She must truly be fed up with them to be asking for her help after how their first meeting went.

Daiyu could feel a smirk spread across her face. "Haven't figured it out yet?"

"Well it is only my first lesson," Korra threw back at her. "Were you expecting me to get it?"

"No, I'm only teasing." Daiyu chuckled. "It took me two years to get it."

Korra reeled back, surprised by her honesty. "You don't say?"

"I first tried when I was six years old." Daiyu closed her eyes and remembered, not quite sure why she was telling Korra any of this. "Master Tenzin said there was nothing to be afraid off, but I was terrified—I thought the gates were a monster set out to eat me. I went in any way and tried my hardest, but I came out covered in splinters and half of my body bruised."

Daiyu almost laughed at Korra's exaggerated cringe.

"My Ma was _not_ impressed." The taller teen sighed. "Master Tenzin got a real earful that afternoon."

Korra must have thought the idea of my mother scolding Tenzin amusing, as she was holding back a grin, but it vanished as soon as it appeared. "Well, hopefully, it doesn't take me two years."

"It probably won't, considering you actually have the potential to airbend." Daiyu reasoned. "But then again, why rush? You probably need all the time you can get."

"There it is!" Korra laughed, but she was far from amused. "There's the biting remark, I was starting to wonder if you were a different person."

"I like to keep people on their toes." The nonbender turned her gaze towards the city. "But seriously, take your time with this, the city doesn't need the Avatar running around half-trained and overconfident."

Korra's face turned red. " _Overcon_ —are you saying I'm full of myself?"

Daiyu turned back to her, an innocent grin on her face. "Hey, you said it, not me."

The air seemed to crackle with electricity as the Avatar's anger spiked. "Who, who do you think you are!? Acting like you know me? This isn't some game to me, I've been training for this my entire life. Being the Avatar is a huge responsibility, my responsibility, so don't you dare think I'm not taking it seriously."

There it was again, that determination. Korra had something to prove, and she was not about to back down from anything.

Daiyu was not fazed. "That's all I needed to hear."

Korra's face dropped, expecting more of a fight.

"This city is my home," Daiyu began. "I was born here, and I'll probably die here. I just wanted to know you weren't treating this whole thing lightly."

"Trust me, I'm not," Korra announced, a promise laced with her words. "The city's in good hands."

"I know it's in good hands; my _mother's_ ," The taller teen sneered. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

Her smirk returned when she saw Korra's eye twitch in irritation.

"By the way," Daiyu said, remembering what her mother had told her the night before. "My Ma wanted me to let you know to stay on the island if you wanted to stay out of trouble. That's no fun of course, so if you ever head in just lay low, yeah? And if you see any trouble, just call the police, it's what they're there for."

Korra conceded. "You got it."

Daiyu turned to leave. "See you around, Korra. Look me up if you ever are in town, maybe we could hang out." She said, deciding the Avatar was alright.

"Oh _yeah_ , _sure_ , I'll make sure to do that." Said the Avatar, her sarcasm strong.

The tattooed teen placed a hand on her chest in mock hurt. "Am I really that bad company?"

Korra threw her hands up in defeat. "Hey, you said it, not me."

Daiyu laughed and bid her a final farewell, recalling the fire she had seen in the Avatar's eyes.

Maybe she would survive this city after all.

* * *

 **Song: Honesty | Billy Joel**

* * *

AN **: Hey guys! So I've made a few changes. One is the summary, I felt it would draw more interest mentioning that my OC was a Beifong, and secondly was the pairing. Bolin was my original pair up, but I have so many ideas. If you have any initial ideas of you would like to Daiyu with, please tell me, I'd love to hear your ideas.**


	4. nothing stays the same

"You _sold_ the bakery!?"

Daiyu tried to process her own words as Khan's jaw hit the floor. The bakery's owner, Yoma, twisted her liver-spotted hands together in a sheepish manner.

The teen had arrived at the bakery, five minutes to six AM like usual, to come face to face with an angry Taya ranting about how she had better things to do than work at a quote "dumpy old bakery" as she stomped out the back door.

The girl had undoubtedly been fired and within less than three days of when Daiyu had last worked. The teen wasted no time rushing into the kitchen, sauntering over to Khan who was already at his workbench and demanded her two hundred yuan.

Yoma was there as well, watching fondly as Daiyu counted her winnings and reminded an irritated Khan about the rice balls he also owed her. But Yoma, for some reason, appeared to be nervous. Their boss then began to regale them with the short story of how she fired Taya after two weeks of her showing up late to work before she weakly transitioned to their current predicament.

Khan ran his hands through his curls, the disbelief still evident on his face. "When Future Industries started buying up the rest of the shops on the block, I didn't think, you know, you'd jump on the bandwagon."

"Me too Hon'," Yoma sighed. "But those suits made a very generous offer, and the business is not making what it used to. After a few weeks, I decided that to sell this place was the right decision, for me."

"But this shop is a piece of history," Daiyu pressed her hand against the wall as if to pet it. "Your family has been selling baked goods from this spot since this city was still an Earth Kingdom colony."

"This bakery has been in my family for generations, yes," The elderly woman agreed quietly, her golden eyes dulling. "And it's time I passed it on too, but what do I have? Three children who don't want it."

Khan conceded, having understood their boss's dilemma. "So that's just it then, you're retiring?"

"Yes, I'm old and tired as all get out," The bakery owner chuckled. "The money I received by selling the shop just made my retirement dreams a reality, and it's time I moved on."

"We're still losing our jobs though," Daiyu tried not to sound as defeated as she felt. She fingered the two hundred yuan in her pocket, wondering if she should give the money back knowing that Khan was about to lose his only source of income.

"I know what this place means to both you, but you two are meant for bigger things." Yoma declared, eyes glistening. "You two are both the best employees, as well as the best bakers, that have probably ever worked here. You deserve more, and considering what I could afford to pay you I'm surprised you both stayed this long."

The two bakers erupted in disagreement. The pay was not glamorous, but that did not mean it was not decent compared to a lot of places in Republic City.

It was always about more than just the pay to Daiyu. "What about my apprenticeship? I'm supposed to be working for you until I turn _eighteen_ —"

"Child!" Yoma almost laughed. "You have been working for me since you were twelve years old. I can still remember the day your mother came through the front door and asked me to give her girl a job because she 'expressed an interest' in becoming a baker and opening a tea shop. Has that change?"

"No! But—"

"And didn't I say that you're one of the best bakers to have ever baked here?"

"Well, yes—"

"And you think I don't see you during your breaks, scribbling your plans away in your journal like a woman on a mission? And not to mention all those new recipes you keep coming up with; I have nothing left to teach you." Yoma raised a brow. "And aren't you a few classes and a test away from getting that business diploma?"

" . . . Yes."

"Then you have nothing to worry about," The old woman placed her hands on the teen's shoulders. "And I'm confident you both will find new jobs before I shut this place down."

Khan worried his lower lip with his teeth. "And when's that?"

"In a month and a half."

Daiyu bristled, that was less time than she thought.

"I know it's bad timing, especially for you Khan, so I'm in the middle of writing up your recommendation letters. They should help." Yoma released Daiyu and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "All I ask is that you stick around until the end."

The two bakers melted a little. "Of course, we will," Khan said, moving around his workbench and taking their mentor's hand in his.

They turned to Daiyu, who shook her head. "You'll be dragging me out of here kicking and screaming when that last day comes, I'm warning you now."

That put a smile on Yoma's face and distracted her from the anxious look her two young bakers shot each other.

The future never seemed so uncertain.

* * *

 _Oh nothing stays the same from yesteryears  
_ _See I recall being afraid of the dark  
_ _And holding on to teddy bears_

* * *

In hindsight, Daiyu should have seen it coming.

Well, maybe she did and just did not want to believe it. Yoma had spoken of retiring several times before, most mentions of it had been brought up in the last couple of weeks, and the teen just did not want to pick up what her boss was putting down.

How could she? Not when The Plan was always on her mind. The Plan being something she had been developing since she was twelve when she decided that she wanted to turn baking into a living. She had her whole future sorted out; she had a _timeline_. Where she would be working and when, where all her earnings would go to, and when she would have enough to open her shop. Sure, she had contingency plans, but not for this.

Maybe she could—

"—Daiyu?"

The tattooed teen's eyes snapped open at the sound of her name. She looked to the side to see her mother seated on the stone tile deck, already out of her plank pose, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Reality set it and Daiyu could finally feel the burn in her upper arms and core as she held her own plank. How long had she held the pose? She lowered herself to the ground and rested her head on her arms, letting the early morning chill that had settled into the stone seep into her muscles. Weekend morning yoga sessions with her mother were supposed to be relaxing, but Daiyu felt anything but.

She peeked back up at Lin. "Sorry Ma, I was lost in thought, what were you saying?"

"I asked you if you were still fretting over the whole bakery situation," Lin hunched over, bringing herself a little closer to her daughter. "It seems you are."

"I was thinking about The Plan."

"I see," Her mother joined her on the ground and laid down on her back. "You're frustrated because you don't know what to do next."

"Yeah."

"Have you considered not doing anything?"

Daiyu sat up. Did her mother really just say that? Ms Workaholic herself? "Khan said the same thing at the Pro-Bending match last night, said I work too much and too hard."

"Because you do, for someone your age anyway." Lin rolled onto her side to face her daughter. "I worry one of these days you're going to work yourself into an early grave before I do."

Daiyu frowned and smoothed some hair away from her face. "Well, considering death is an actual occupational hazard of being a _cop_ —"

"—Don't sass me Girlie," The Chief pointed a finger in warning at the teen. "And I'm not joking when I say I'm worried about you."

"But Ma, there's nothing to worry about," Daiyu assured. "It's just that this whole bakery closing thing has got my mind all jumbled up, as soon as I line up another job for next month I'll be right as rain."

"That's not what I'm concerned about and you know it."

"Why do you feel that I need a break?" The teen moaned. "I thought you liked that I worked hard, that I had goals and I was thinking of my future."

"I do like that about you, you remind me so much of myself at your age." Lin sat up as well, crossing her arms in thought. "But like me, you also focus too much on the long term. In those early days, I was so preoccupied with thinking ahead that I didn't pay attention to the present. I worked my ass off and got to the places I wanted to be a lot faster than most, but in the process, I let my youth slip through my fingers. I grew up too fast, I don't want that for you."

Daiyu shuffled closer to her mother. "Ma . . ."

"Look, all I'm saying is that maybe this is your chance to take some time off to focus on being young; a good, _decent_ amount of time."

". . . Maybe your right," Daiyu accepted. "I'm trying to think of what I'd do if I had some time off, and I can't think of anything that doesn't have to do with baking or working."

Lin shrugged. "You could focus on training, maybe find another sword master to take down."

The girl chuckled. "I've already beaten half of the so-called-masters they have in the city, but still, I'd be up for it. Skills can always be refined."

"Perhaps you could travel then," The Chief suggested. "I'm sure you could find a worthy master somewhere in the Fire Nation, or the Earth Kingdom."

Daiyu's heart nearly stopped beating in her chest. Despite her nonchalant tone, Lin knew the gravity behind her own words and what they meant to Daiyu. The tattooed teen had been all over Republic City, but she had never actually _left_ it. All opportunity to leave had been lost to her when Lin had refused to let her travel with her father when she was young, and in turn, her father had agreed to leave her behind as long Lin never left the city with her either. It had taken Daiyu a while to get over it, but the desire to travel, to explore and discover, was still there.

The teen found her voice. "You'd let me leave the city? _Without_ you?"

"You're sixteen now," Lin explained. "If you want to leave, you don't need me to go with you, though I'd like you to let me know before you—"

"—As if I wouldn't!" Daiyu squealed and tackled her mother into a hug. "Thank you, thank you! I'll, I'll think about it!"

"Good, now get off me before I become one with the deck." Her mother grumbled and gave Daiyu a discreet squeeze before she shoved her off. "Aren't you headed back to the Island today?"

"That's right! I should go get ready," Daiyu decided and began to head towards their home's back entrance.

"Daiyu, wait."

"Yes, Ma?"

Lin stood and spoke as she stretched. "Has your sword been registered?"

"The paperwork is still being processed," Daiyu replied, slightly confused as to why her mother would ask her about it.

"Then bring your whip, and make sure you have your knives with you." The police chief's eyes became hard. "The Equalists have become more active as of late."

"And I might become a target," Daiyu concluded with a sigh. Being the Chief of Police's daughter could be such a hassle at time, but she wouldn't change a thing. "I promise I'll be careful."

"That's all I ask."

* * *

 **Song: Seventeen | Alessia Cara**

* * *

 **AN: Hi guys! So here's another chapter with some major stuff to move the plot forward, with Daiyu's impending unemployment, and the mention of Daiyu's father amongst other things. I also really wanted to dive more into the relationship between Daiyu and Lin, it was really fun to write their interaction.**

 **Until next time! Please leave a review and tell me what you think!**


	5. those ocean eyes

"Pema!" Daiyu greeted cheerfully as she entered the kitchen that afternoon. She embraced the shorter woman as best she could while minding her swollen belly. Years had already past but it felt like it was only a short while ago when Pema had been pregnant with Meelo, and now she was ready to pop all over again. Children were blessings, but was Master Tenzin ever going to give this woman a break?

"Hi sweetie, it's been a while," Pema replied, squeezing the teen in return. "Thank you so much for spending time with the children, I know how much they enjoy your visits."

"It was my pleasure, really." Daiyu released the embraced and placed a gentle hand on the woman's pregnant belly. "How are you? I heard you weren't feeling well."

"Just the pregnancy getting the best of me, I'm fine now," Pema dismissed. "And you?"

"I've been better."

"Oh?"

"Some stuff's gone down at work and I'm trying to deal," The teen explained with a shrug and a small smile played on her lips. "Korra managed to distract me though, for a moment."

The air acolyte grimaced. "Right, the air gates . . ."

"You should've seen it Pema," Daiyu bit her lip to repress a giggle, recalling how the Avatar had destroyed the airbending artefact earlier that morning. When she rocked up to the Island that morning and joined the airbending family for Korra's training, the last thing she expected was to witness such a meltdown.

"It was quite the tantrum, and oh, Master Tenzin's face. He was so mad his cloak started fluttering behind him. Fluttering, I tell you!" The teen knew that might have sounded childish, but that did not mean it was any less funny.

"Now now," Pema scolded lightly, but her shaking shoulders betrayed the tone of her words. "It's not nice to laugh at their expense."

"I know, but I'm doing it anyway." Daiyu gave up and let out a few huffs of laughter as a result. "Although, we should really try and teach Meelo that." The teen suggested and recalled how the young boy had imitated Korra's outburst and ran around the fallen air gate panels, laughing all the way.

"Oh, I've tried." Pema covered her eyes like she was suddenly exhausted. "But you know Meelo,"

Daiyu nodded.

"He does what he wants." They said in unison.

The two laughed together before taking trays of food from the counter moving to the private dining area where the rest of the airbending family were seated. Da

"Okay! Everyone here?" Pema asked as she set a tray on the table. "Wait, where's Korra?"

The Avatar was indeed not seated at the table. She had not been seen since her tantrum that morning, but it had been a good couple of hours and Daiyu figured she would at least show up for dinner.

"Honestly, Pema, I am at my wit's end with that girl!" Tenzin griped. "I don't know how to get through to her!"

 _'No one asked you how you feel about her Tenzin,'_ Daiyu thought and placed down her own tray whilst she slid in to sit next to Meelo, tickling the bored looking boy before turning to the airbending master. "Maybe she's still cooling off; the girl did erupt like a volcano."

"Literally." Ikki agreed quickly, with Meelo adding his own eruption sound effects.

Pema rolled her eyes at them before she knelt down next to her husband. "Dear, the best thing you can do right now is to give Korra some _space_."

Tenzin's head shot up and he stared desperately at his young daughters. "You must promise me that your teenage years won't be like this!"

Daiyu scoffed just as Jinora lowered the book she was reading and met her father's eyes with a look of indifference. "I will make no such promises."

 _'Atta girl.'_ Daiyu thought and gave Jinora a wink before passing her a bowl of rice.

The sound of a sliding door caught everyone's attention.

In the doorway stood Korra, one arm drawn over her stomach to nervously scratch at the other. "Hey guys, sorry I'm late."

Pema shook her head. "Korra! Come, we were just starting."

Korra approached the table and sat opposite Daiyu, adjacent to Master Tenzin. She met his eyes with a steely gaze, obviously still not over her argument with the Airbender. Master Tenzin was not any better. He returned her look with one of his own, and he leant forward purposefully as if to begin a lecture.

"Korra—"

Daiyu, on the other hand, could see what was about to unfold and was not having it. It had been amusing that morning but she was not going to sit through another outburst from either party. And though what Korra had done that morning was brash and juvenile, she probably did not need a talking down to (Tenzin could become quite condescending when he wanted to), so Daiyu might as well lend her a hand.

So, as any young woman in her situation would do, she interrupted.

"—So I'm about to lose my job if anyone is interested in hearing about that," Daiyu announced, picking at her rice with her chopsticks.

All eyes were now on her.

Meelo on the verge of a freakout. "Does that mean I don't get any more free sweets!?"

Daiyu laughed and rubbed his head. "Meelo, you know I can just make treats any time you want? I don't have to get things from the bakery."

"Oh. Ok."

Pema looked on with worry from her seat next to her husband. "When you said there was some trouble at work, I didn't realise this is what you meant."

"Where do you work?" Korra asked, joining the conversation, ignoring Tenzin.

"I'm an apprentice pastry chef at this place called Ling's Bakery," Daiyu answered. "I was supposed to be working there until I was eighteen, but my boss decided the sell the store and I've got a little more than a month before we shut up shop for good."

"What a shame, Ling's is one of the oldest businesses in Republic City," Tenzin commented.

The tattooed teen swallowed a bite of fried tofu. "That's what I said,"

Jinora set her book down. "Will you be alright? Now that you're losing your job?"

"It's my coworker Khan I'm worried about, he's worse off," Daiyu uttered forlornly. "He and his wife are expecting their first child and she just left work on maternity leave."

Pema placed a hand on her own swollen belly. "Goodness, what bad timing."

Korra leant forward, curious to know more. "What are you planning to do then? Find more work?"

Ikki clapped her hands together excitedly. "Are you finally going to open the tea and cake shop you've always wanted?"

"That's in the plan, but not for a long while yet." The tattooed teen began to push around the remaining food in her bowl. "My Ma suggested I take some time off and go travelling."

Tenzin choked on the sip of tea he had taken, looking at Daiyu with disbelief. "I . . . I didn't realise Lin was planning to take time off work."

"She isn't, don't misunderstand." Daiyu clarified, knowing Master Tenzin might come to that conclusion. "I'm sixteen now, so Ma says I can travel on my own."

Korra was surprised. "Wow, that's really cool of her."

"Yeah, I've never left the city before, and there are so many places I want to go." Daiyu rambled on. "I want to tour the Earth Kingdom, not Ba Sing Se though, Ma and I always spoke of going there together. Then there's Ember Island in the Fire Nation, I hear the music festivals there are wild—oh! There's also the Southern Water Tribe."

The Avatar's eyes lit up. "You want to go to the South Pole?"

"Uh, yes. I hear it's absolutely stunning down there." The nonbender confirmed. "Hey, maybe when you're done with your training, you could take me."

"Really?"

Daiyu grinned. "Of course, who better than you?"

Ikki bounced in her seat. "Can I come too?"

"Maybe when you're older," Daiyu suggested and the little girl deflated. "After all, Korra does have to finish her training first."

"Yeah," Korra groaned, slouching down and resting her face in her hand. "Looks like it's gonna be a while before I go anywhere."

"Rightfully so," Tenzin jumped in, sounding as if he needed to prove a point. "You are here to train, the last thing we need is for you to go off gallivanting around Spirits know where."

With a frustrated pout, Korra crossed her arms and turned away. Her lips twitched like she wanted to say something more, but she held herself back. Daiyu's heart went out to her. She knew firsthand what it was like to struggle to learn those airbending basics, as well as what being reprimanded by Master Tenzin felt like.

Maybe . . . maybe she could help.

"Master Tenzin, I don't mean to overstep," Daiyu began. "But maybe I could show Korra a few things, to help with her airbending training."

Korra perked up. "Really?"

"I can show you some things." The nonbender answered and turned back to the airbending master. "It's just that I know that Korra is struggling to understand those fundamental teachings, so maybe a new perspective on them could help."

Tenzin looked tense as he mulled it over. "I . . . suppose."

"Great!" Daiyu climbed out of her seat and quickly walked around to Korra, patting each of the children on the head as she went. "Let's go."

Korra stared up at her. "You mean now?"

Daiyu practically dragged the Avatar out of her seat. "Yes, while it's still light out."

The tattooed teen began to shove Korra out the door, the two of them waving goodbye to the family as they left.

* * *

 _I've been watching you for some time  
_ _Can't stop staring at those ocean eyes_

* * *

"Korra, give me your hands."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to dance."

" _What_."

Daiyu did not wait for the Avatar to say anything more and grabbed her slightly calloused hands with her own. She kept one of the water tribe teen's hands clasped in hers and placed the other on her arm just under her shoulder. Her now free hand moved around and landed on the Korra's shoulder blade and they stood in the perfect starting position for a ballroom dance.

Daiyu was slightly amused. Korra had such a strong frame and the type of personality that could fill up a room, but she barely came up to her nose. Combined with that flustered look on her face? With her cheeks so red, like she had never been that close to another human being before? It was downright adorable.

"This was how I learned to get through the gates," Daiyu explained, readjusting her grip. "The concept of letting myself be guided by air was something that didn't connect with me considering I'm not an Airbender. So, I had to find another way."

Korra, with her face still flushed, gave her a sceptical look. "And you connected . . . with dancing."

"Yes, it's not as weird as it sounds. Dance like the wind, right?" Daiyu gestured down to their feet. "Now follow my lead . . ."

The nonbender taught her the basics to the waltz box step. Step forward, step to the side, feet together. Step backwards, step to the side, feet together. Korra was a fast learner, and it was not long before they were dancing, Daiyu gently repeating "one, two, three, one, two, three," as they went.

"I've never danced like this before, I think I'm getting the hang of it," Korra announced while her eyes darted back to their moving feet, watchful of their steps. "But I still don't understand how this is supposed to be helping me with my airbending."

"When I was young, my mother took me to the park and there was a young couple dancing around a fountain," Daiyu explained. "They were so in sync with each other. They moved so beautifully that when they stopped I went up to them and asked if they would show me how to dance like they did. They taught me how to do this series of steps, and revealed to me that in these types of classical dances, someone always takes the lead, traditionally the man."

"The couple moved together, but it was the man who was leading his girlfriend in their dance, guiding her to move around in the directions they did. What made it look so in sync is that that it didn't look that way at all. She wasn't being dragged all over the place because she had learned to respond to the lightest of pulls and pushes."

"That's how you learned to get through the gates," Korra realised.

"Essentially." Daiyu agreed. "I practised dancing at some of the highest parts of the island or down by the ocean, places I could feel the wind. It became akin to a dance partner. You have to learn to work and _flow_ with the air, to let it be a guiding hand, so when it changes—"

Daiyu began to lean to her left, and after a little stumbling on Korra's part, they began to waltz in a left rotation rather than the square formation they had started off with.

"—It'll show you how to change too."

Korra nodded, more determined than ever. They began to cover more ground as they waltzed around the courtyard. When she knew the Avatar had become comfortable, the tattooed teen switched the rotation of their dance, but this time there was no stumbling from Korra. She was focused. She no longer eyed their feet but concentrated on the movement of Daiyu's body and where she would take her next.

Daiyu did her best to make every switch of their movements as random as possible to challenge Korra, as well as loosened her grip little by little, forcing the shorter teen to be more aware of her. They had the idea of 'moving at a moment's notice when met with resistance' down, but Daiyu had to add one more thing.

Spiral movements.

With no warning Daiyu dropped her right hand which held onto Korra's back and pushed their still joint hands upward and outward, causing the water tribe teen to spin into an underarm turn before being caught and she returned to their box step. The nonbender did not wait for a reaction and hastened their pace before she threw her fellow teen out again, whirling her in two tight spins before she pulled her back in.

"Keep moving, be light on your feet, that's it!" Daiyu praised. She took a chance and spun the young woman in the opposite direction.

Korra returned to her arms with a sunny, crooked grin on her face. It was the kind expression that held a pride-fueled happiness that became infectious, and Daiyu felt herself grin back. They continued to dance, Daiyu spinning her in every way she could come up with, Korra adapted to them well. On the last few turns, Daiyu let go of her hand, letting Korra spin on her own accord before joining her again, only to be surprised when she was the one spun.

Daiyu laughed when Korra spun her over and over in mock payback, and she only laughed harder when Korra struggled to continue doing so considering she was so short. She gave up on trying to twirl the tattooed teen by the hand since she could not reach that far above Daiyu's head, and instead just grabbed her by the waist and spun her that way.

Somehow, they ended up a laughing heap on the ground, lying beside one another as they tried to catch their breath.

"I think I understand, or at least I'm starting to," Korra said, once they had both calmed down.

Daiyu turned to her. "Yeah? Keep this in mind then and you'll be flying through the gates in no time."

Korra rolled onto her side to face her. "You're a better teacher compared to Tenzin, that's for sure."

Daiyu snorted. "I wouldn't go _that_ far."

"Are you kidding? We've accomplished more together in the last thirty minutes than Tenzin and I have in the last few days."

"He's not that bad, he taught me after all," Daiyu argued. "Plus, we don't know if any of this will pay off until you hit gates again."

"I guess."

"They say the best teachers adapt to the way their students learn, so maybe he hasn't found the best way to train you yet," Daiyu pondered. "Then again, Master Tenzin's a traditionalist, and he can be very "it's my way or the highway" at times."

Korra shoved herself off the ground. "Right? He keeps telling me this will all sink in, but it's not. He says "have patience", but I honestly think don't have any. I'm sick of it. It feels like I've been told to wait my entire life, that "my time will come", and for as long as I can remember I've been waiting for . . . _something_ to happen. If I hadn't snuck away from the South to come here, who knows how long I would've been stuck there waiting."

Daiyu stared as Korra lowered herself back down to the ground. The young Beifong was coming to know the Avatar as an open book. Her emotions bloomed so easily across her face, and right then she had an incredibly vulnerable expression on her. A haunting kind of loneliness came off her, turning the air around them cold, and Daiyu _hated_ it.

She reached out and grasped her hand. Korra turned to her then, her eyes the colour of the sea in winter.

"Hey, you're here now. No more waiting." Daiyu consoled, her voice gentle. "I know you're frustrated with your airbending training, and yes, things like this require patience that you think you don't have, but you know what? You're going to get it no matter how long it takes because despite how he feels right now, Master Tenzin believes in you. Pema and the kids believe in you, heck, the whole city believes in you. More importantly, _I_ believe in you, so don't go giving up so quickly."

Korra nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Daiyu sighed, giving herself a mental pat on the for a well-done motivational speech. Her eyes landed on the darkened sky, and her body jolted upright.

"Shit, what time is it?" Daiyu cursed as she got up. "I've got a ferry to catch."

Korra seemed to be startled by how dark the sky had gotten as well, even more so than Daiyu.

Korra reached a hand up to scratch the back of her head sheepishly. "It's getting late huh? Ah, I'll see you later then, cause I gotta . . ."

Daiyu tilted her head, intrigued by the Avatar's sudden nervous behaviour. She looked like she wanted to run. "Do you have somewhere to be right now, Korra?"

Korra scoffed and looked away. "What, me? No, no, no."

Daiyu stared her down. "I thought Master Tenzin wanted you to stay on the island."

"Who said I was leaving?"

The raven-haired teen raised one of her sharp brows.

"Uh, well," Korra bit her lip. "I might've been planning on . . . sneakingofftheislandtowatchaprobendingmatchpleasedon'ttellTenzin?"

Daiyu blinked. She caught the gist of what the water tribe teen was asking, and her own reply came out faster then she expected.

"I won't say anything, but I get to come with."

Korra beamed, and Daiyu's body tingled with both anxiety and excitement.

What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

 **Song: Ocean Eyes | Billie Eilish**


End file.
